Microfluidic rotor device

Abstract

A microfluidic rotor for characterizing analytes in a fluid includes a plurality of cuvettes containing one or more selected reagent. The rotor further includes a plurality of cuvette marks. The rotor has a cuvette mark to cuvette ratio other than 1:1. For example, the ratio of the cuvette mark to the cuvette-receiving chamber may be, in certain instances, 1:4.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A rotor for use in an apparatus for characterizing analytes in a fluid, the rotor comprising
 a plurality of cuvette-receiving chambers each configured to receive a cuvette containing one or more selected reagent; and   a plurality of cuvette marks, the rotor having a cuvette mark to cuvette-receiving chamber ratio other than 1:1.   
     
     
         2 . The rotor of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of cuvette-receiving chambers includes one or more groups of cuvette-receiving chambers, wherein a single group of the one or more groups of cuvette-receiving chambers is disposed between consecutive cuvette marks of the plurality of cuvette marks, and wherein an angular separation adjacent cuvette-receiving chambers defining each of the one or more groups of cuvette-receiving chambers is about 6 degrees. 
     
     
         3 . The rotor of  claim 2 , wherein the rotor includes 12 cuvette marks and 48 cuvette-receiving chambers. 
     
     
         4 . The rotor of  claim 2 , wherein the rotor has a cuvette mark to cuvette-receiving chamber ratio of 1:4. 
     
     
         5 . The rotor of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of cuvette-receiving chambers includes one or more groups of cuvette-receiving chambers, wherein a single group of the one or more groups of cuvette-receiving chambers is disposed between consecutive cuvette marks of the plurality of cuvette marks, and wherein an angular separation between adjacent cuvette-receiving chambers defining each of the one or more groups of cuvette-receiving chambers is about 7.5 degrees. 
     
     
         6 . The rotor of  claim 5 , wherein the rotor includes 6 cuvette marks and 42 cuvette-receiving chambers. 
     
     
         7 . The rotor of  claim 5 , wherein the rotor has a cuvette mark to cuvette-receiving chamber ratio of 1:7. 
     
     
         8 . The rotor of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of cuvette-receiving chambers includes one or more groups of cuvette-receiving chambers, wherein a single group of the one or more groups of cuvette-receiving chambers is disposed between consecutive cuvette marks of the plurality of cuvette marks, and wherein an angular separation between adjacent cuvette-receiving chambers defining each of the one or more groups of cuvette-receiving chambers is about 10 degrees. 
     
     
         9 . The rotor of  claim 8 , wherein the rotor includes 4 cuvette marks and 32 cuvette-receiving chambers. 
     
     
         10 . The rotor of  claim 8 , wherein the rotor has a cuvette mark to cuvette-receiving chamber ratio of 1:8. 
     
     
         11 . The rotor of  claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of cuvette marks have the same dimensions. 
     
     
         12 . The rotor of  claim 1 , wherein a first mark of the plurality of cuvette marks has a first width, and the remaining marks of the plurality of cuvette marks have a second width, the first width being larger than the second width. 
     
     
         13 . The rotor of  claim 12 , wherein the remaining marks each have the same dimensions. 
     
     
         14 . A rotor for use in an apparatus for characterizing analytes in a fluid, the rotor comprising
 a plurality of cuvette-receiving chambers each configured to receive a cuvette containing one or more selected reagent; and   a plurality of cuvette marks, the rotor having a cuvette mark to cuvette-receiving chamber ratio greater than or equal to about 1:8 to less than or equal to about 1:1.   
     
     
         15 . The rotor of  claim 14 , wherein the plurality of cuvette-receiving chambers includes one or more groups of cuvette-receiving chambers, wherein a single group of the one or more groups of cuvette-receiving chambers is disposed between consecutive cuvette marks of the plurality of cuvette marks, and wherein an angular separation between adjacent cuvette-receiving chambers defining each of the one or more groups of cuvette-receiving chambers is greater than or equal to about 5 degrees to less than or equal to about 10 degrees. 
     
     
         16 . The rotor of  claim 14 , wherein the rotor includes greater than or equal to about 4 to less than or equal to about 30 cuvette marks and greater than or equal to about 30 to less than or equal to about 60 cuvette-receiving chambers. 
     
     
         17 . The rotor of  claim 14 , wherein a first mark of the plurality of cuvette marks has a first width, and the remaining marks of the plurality of cuvette marks have a second width, the first width being larger than the second width. 
     
     
         18 . The rotor of  claim 17 , wherein the remaining marks each have the same dimensions. 
     
     
         19 . A rotor for use in an apparatus for characterizing analytes in a fluid, the rotor comprising:
 one or more groups of cuvette-receiving chambers, each of the cuvette-receiving chambers defining the one or more groups of cuvette-receiving chambers configured to receive a cuvette containing one or more selected reagent; and   a plurality of cuvette marks, an angular separation between adjacent cuvette-receiving chambers defining each of the one or more groups of cuvette-receiving chambers being greater than or equal to about 6 degrees to less than or equal to about 15 degrees.   
     
     
         20 . The rotor of  claim 19 , wherein a first mark of the plurality of cuvette marks has a first width, and the remaining marks of the plurality of cuvette marks have a second width, the first width being larger than the second width.